


shade

by words_unravel



Category: Panic At The Disco, Young Veins
Genre: Community: no_tags, Gen, High School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-12
Updated: 2012-02-12
Packaged: 2017-10-31 01:44:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/338512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/words_unravel/pseuds/words_unravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>[<i>prompt:</i> written for 2012 <span class="ljuser ljuser-name_no_tags"></span><a href="http://no-tags.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://no-tags.livejournal.com/"><b>no_tags</b></a> prompt #26 - Ryan/Spencer or gen - anything to do with Ryan Ross volunteering at an animal shelter in high school.]<br/>[<i>warning:</i> Ryan Ross and furry animals?]<br/>[<i>a/n:</i> It's always such fun to do this challenge and I loved the prompt. Here's to hoping that it's anywhere near what the prompter wanted!]</p>
    </blockquote>





	shade

**Author's Note:**

> [ _prompt:_ written for 2012 [](http://no-tags.livejournal.com/profile)[**no_tags**](http://no-tags.livejournal.com/) prompt #26 - Ryan/Spencer or gen - anything to do with Ryan Ross volunteering at an animal shelter in high school.]  
>  [ _warning:_ Ryan Ross and furry animals?]  
>  [ _a/n:_ It's always such fun to do this challenge and I loved the prompt. Here's to hoping that it's anywhere near what the prompter wanted!]

* * *

"This is the worst idea ever."

The statement earns Spencer a glare, but it's true. "Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" he asks. It never hurts, sometimes Ryan will change his mind if he pushes hard enough. This time it's not working. Ryan gives him another look over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the building in front of them. The _Summerlin Animal Hospital_ has been here as long as Spencer can remember.

"You're acting like I can't do this," Ryan mutters. The defensive tone in his voice is one that always makes Spencer want to punch things, mostly Ryan's dad. Spencer's mom has had more than one serious discussion with him on reasons he's not allowed, but Spencer still harbors fantasy of throwing at lease one good punch in his lifetime.

Ryan's, "I can totally do this," snaps Spencer out of his daydream.

He knocks their shoulders together. "That's not what I'm saying at all, douche. You just tend to get a little--"

Spencer bites off the _attached_ he was going to say. "Are you sure you can do this and school _and_ band practice?" he asks instead. "Trevor's already looking for a reason to quit. This might give him the ammo he wants."

Which, you know, screw Trevor. His voice is okay, but it's not going to get them out of Summerlin. But then, Spencer's fairly sure that's part of Trevor's attitude lately.

"Screw Trevor," Ryan says, bumping Spencer back. "And this--This is a backup, okay?" He glances over at Spencer. "College is just a backup," he repeats. "And volunteer work looks good on college applications."

He's all stupidly big, solemn eyes and Spencer can feel himself caving. It's not like he doesn't understand it, the need to get out--Spencer has his own contingency plans for getting Ryan out of Vegas--but volunteering at a vet clinic is pretty much a recipe for disaster. A grin creeps over Ryan's face at Spencer's deep sigh.

"For the record--" Spencer tells him again, "I still think this is the worst idea ever."

*

He's too young to volunteer, even with parental consent. Ryan looks torn at that, but Spencer knows this is what Ryan wants so he waves him on. It's not like they don't spend 95% of their free time together anyway. And Ryan sleeps at his house four out of seven days of the week. There's still band practices on Thursdays and Sundays. It's not like they won't ever--

"Hey. Earth to Spence."

Spencer blinks a couple of times, looking up to find Ryan staring at him strangely. "You okay, dude?"

Okay. So he was apparently a bit more bummed out about this than he'd thought. Shaking the thoughts away, he shrugs. "Just thinking. Everything good to go?"

Ryan's face lights up. "Yeah, they want me to come back tomorrow after school, show me around the place some more." He continues to talk as they walk out the door, and Spencer adds his responses in the right place. He watches the animation in Ryan's face as they make their way home. _He really_ does _want to do this_ , Spencer thinks.

Despite his doubts, that's enough for Spencer.

***

Ryan's been distracted all night. Finally Spencer just stops practice and sends Trevor and Brent home. Neither are too broken up about it, but at least Brent ask quietly if Ryan's okay. Spencer sends him off with platitudes and once they've left, plants the two of them on the living room couch.

"Okay, what's up with you? And don't tell me nothing," he adds when Ryan starts to open his mouth. He shuts it immediately, glaring at Spencer.

Spencer waits him out, staring back, and a few minutes go by, neither of them budging. Upstairs, Spencer can hear the thump of his sisters playing, their voices, high and giggly, muffled through the ceiling above him.

Ryan breaks first.

"There's a dog at the clinic--" he finally says and Spencer automatically thinks, _I knew this was a bad idea_. Dammit.

"--they just left her outside, tied up, with no water." Ryan's voice holds this disbelief, like he can't really believe that someone would do that on purpose.

"People are shit, Ry. You know this." He doesn't add the, _You've got first-hand experience_ , but he wants to.

Ryan won't look at him. "But that's people, Spence. They're cognizant, they deserve it, bring it on themselves--" And Spencer's back to wanting to put his fist in Mr. Ross' face. "But animals don't. All they want to do is love you, be loved. They're innocent. I just--I don't understand."

Spencer doesn't know what to say.

***

It's touch and go for a couple of days with the dog. In addition to severe dehydration, she's also malnourished, and the doctors aren't quite sure she's strong enough to make it. Spencer doesn't see much of Ryan during that time, but he texts Ryan for reports. He gets mostly short answers in return, but on one occasion Ryan sends a few pictures that make Spencer's throat tight.

Spencer makes a bunch of "Found Dog" signs and plasters them around the neighborhood where Ryan says they found the dog. At supper that night, Jackie asks him why they would want to give the puppy back and Spencer just smiles. It must not be too pretty because Jackie won't look at him for the rest of the meal and his dad warns him later not to do anything stupid.

He rolls his eyes in response. "I'm fourteen, Dad. What can I do?"

"I mean it, Spencer James Smith. Justice and revenge are two entirely separate things, and you are not judge and jury here. I know this is hurting Ryan, but that doesn't mean you need to do anything stupid."

"Dad--" It's not like he's going to firebomb the dude's car, geez.

"I _mean_ it," his dad repeats. "You getting in trouble, or getting hurt, is not going to do Ryan or, God forbid, us, any favors, son. You've got to believe that Karma will out, that they'll get what they deserve in the end." He puts his hands on Spencer's shoulders. "You are not Ryan's Mighty Avenger, okay?"

Spencer rolls his eyes again, nodding. "Fine, fine."

"Although, if I recall correctly, you did at one point like to wear his Superman underoos--"

"Dad!" Spencer flails, trying to disentangle himself. All of a sudden it's like his dad's got a million arms.

"What?" his dad says. "It's not like you two didn't bathe naked together." There's a couple of wild giggles nearby and Spencer can feel his face getting red.

"Daaaad--" Seriously, how can his dad still beat him at tickle fights? There's more giggling, closer this time, and Spencer has a moment to think, _It's really not fair_ , before he goes down in a pile of Smiths.

***

Ryan fumbles in through the window just as Spencer's about to fall asleep. Spencer doesn't say anything, just shifts over. Ryan slips into the offered space a moment later. There's tension singing through his body and Spencer's afraid to ask.

"She's going to make it," Ryan finally whispers. His voice isn't as happy as it should be. Spencer rolls onto his side, toward Ryan.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he asks. He can feel Ryan's nod in the dark. "Of course."

"Then what's really wrong?"

It takes a moment, but Ryan finally confesses, "I think you were right."

Spencer's confused. "About what?"

"I think the vet clinic was mistake." A quiet sigh. "I don't think I can do this."

"Yes, you can." Spencer says immediately, out loud without thinking. His voice rings out in the darkness. Ryan jerks in response, automatically shushing him. "You can," Spencer repeats, in a quieter voice.

There's another sound of movement, a head shaking on a pillow. "It's too hard, Spence. Too sad."

"But you're stronger than that." Spencer insists. "You're stronger than all those assholes that think that just because they're bigger, that they're better." Spencer doesn't think too hard about where his words are coming from, just adds, "You're stronger because you make it better, Ry. And that's why you can do this, why you _should_ do this."

Ryan doesn't respond to that, but Spencer can feel the tension seep out of his body.

"Man," Ryan finally does say a few minutes later. "That was kind of like a superhero speech there, Spence. Have you been practicing?"  
  


[posted originally in the prompt community [here](http://no-tags.livejournal.com/65426.html) on 02/08/12]  



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